Trolling motor mount

ABSTRACT

A trolling motor mount assembly for mounting a trolling motor to a small watercraft. The assembly includes a motor mount piece and a boat deck piece. The pieces are shaped to mate their cooperatively tapered sides to securely engage the pieces and thus the mounted motor and boat together. A latch then locks the pieces together.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/395,916 filed Aug. 8, 2022, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates generally to a motor mount, and more

particularly to a trolling motor mount, and specifically a small watercraft trolling motor mount assembly.

II. Description of the Prior Art.

Trolling motors allow boaters, and in particular anglers, to precisely maneuver and position their watercraft for optimal boating enjoyment. Unfortunately, mounting the motor onto boats, particularly smaller boats such as kayaks, is typically problematic as the OEM bracket is not universal and is often difficult to mount and lock in place. Accordingly, there exists a plethora of aftermarket mounting solutions. One such prior art solution is shown in FIGS. 1-3 . More specifically, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a relatively common so-called quick release bracket assembly 10. The assembly includes a so-called puck 12 to be mounted to a boat deck and a bracket 14 to be mounted to the motor. The locking handle 16 locks the bracket to the puck, through the insertion of the handle arms 18 into the aligned apertures (20, 22) of the puck and the bracket, and therefore the motor to the deck. A biased clamp 24 locks the handle 16 in place. FIG. 3 shows the puck 12 mounted on a kayak 26 using screws 28 (or other fasteners) through the mounting holes 30. The bracket 14 is similarly mounted to the motor.

While this and other prior art aftermarket concepts do accomplish the main goal of mounting the motor to the boat, they nevertheless have issues that have remained unaddressed. By way of example, it remains nearly impossible to mount the trolling motor with a single hand. Indeed, since the quick-release device of FIGS. 1-3 needs to be aligned (apertures 20, 22) before the handle lock is engaged, it typically requires two people.

The present disclosure addresses and fulfills this need. Accordingly, it is a general object of this disclosure to provide a trolling motor mount that is universally adapted to most large and small watercraft.

It is another general object of this disclosure to provide a trolling motor mount utilized by a single person.

It is another general object of this disclosure to provide a trolling motor mount utilized with a single hand.

It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide a trolling motor mount assembly utilizing a taper lock arrangement.

These and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will be clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a trolling motor mount assembly including a boat mount having a top surface, a bottom surface and a portion having a shape with tapered sides, a motor mount assembly having a top surface, a bottom surface and a portion having a shape with tapered sides, wherein the shapes engage to form a taper lock arrangement.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is also provided a method of mounting a trolling motor to a small watercraft including securing a boat mount having a top surface, a bottom surface and a portion having a shape with tapered sides to a watercraft, securing a motor mount having a top surface, a bottom surface and a portion having a shape with tapered sides to a motor, and engaging the shapes to form a tapered lock arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal semi-exploded perspective view of an unlocked or disengaged prior art motor mount assembly used on small boats, particularly kayaks.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mount of FIG. 1 in the locked or engaged position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the puck of FIG. 1 mounted on a kayak.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the component parts of the trolling motor mount assembly according to the principles of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the boat deck component of the mount assembly of FIG. 4 mounted on a kayak.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the boat deck and motor components of the mount assembly of FIG. 4 mounted on a kayak.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 4 mounting a trolling motor to a kayak.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a handle component of the assembly of FIG. 4 .

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One or more embodiments of the subject disclosure will now be described with the aid of numerous drawings. Unless otherwise indicated, use of specific terms will be understood to include multiple versions and forms thereof.

While this disclosure will focus on a trolling motor mount assembly coupled to a kayak, it will be appreciated that the trolling motor mount assembly may be coupled or incorporated to other watercraft. Indeed, it is contemplated that wherever a trolling motor may be utilized, an assembly as disclosed herein would be beneficial.

In any event, and turning back to the Figures, and in particular FIG. 4 , the

component parts of the trolling motor mount assembly 100 is shown. More specifically, the boat deck mount 102 and the motor mount 104, their locking latch assembly 106 and respective mounting hardware 108. The boat deck mount 102 includes a top surface 110, a bottom surface and a shaped portion 112 that has tapered sides 114 from the bottom to the top 110. The motor mount 104 includes a top surface 116, a bottom surface and a shaped recess portion 118 that has tapered sides 120 from the top 116 to the bottom. The latch assembly 106 includes a clamping portion (latch) 122 and a flange portion (helicoil) 124. The latch and helicoil are mounted to the motor mount 104 and the boat deck 102, respectively, via fasteners 126. Both the motor mount 104 and the boat deck 102 have apertures 128 for receiving fasteners 130 for mounting to the motor and the boat respectively.

It is the so-called dovetail or taper lock arrangement between the boat deck and the motor mount that engages and locks the boat to the motor. In particular, the tapered portion of the boat deck 102 is slid into the cooperatively shaped tapered portion of the motor mount 104. Once inserted, the cooperating inclination angles of the sides 114 of the shaped portion 112 of the boat deck 102 is received and mates with the cooperating inclination angles of the sides 120 of the shaped recess portion 118 of the motor mount 104 to securely engage the component parts of the mount assembly and thereby securely engaging the motor to the boat. This allows the trolling motor to be quickly attached to and removed from the boat deck. An additional locking/securing method may be further employed. For example, a locking latch assembly 106 utilizing a latch 122 and a helicoil 124 design would further retain the coupled components.

In FIG. 5 , the boat deck 102 is shown mounted on a kayak 132 bow 134. While the boat deck 102 is shown mounted to an additional support piece 136 it will be appreciated that the deck mount may be directly mounted to the deck of the boat. Indeed, it need not be mounted at the bow either. Positioning of the boat deck 102 may depend on the size of the boat and/or the size of the motor.

FIG. 6 shows the components together on the deck, and further includes the additional latch assemblies 106. FIG. 7 illustrates the subject trolling motor mount ready for use. The boat deck 102 is mounted to the kayak 132 (through the support1 136), the motor mount 104 is mounted to the motor 138, and the component parts are further latched 106 together.

FIG. 8 illustrates a handle member 140 including a grip portion 142 and a flange or helicoil 124 for engaging the clamping portion or latch 122 of the motor mount 104. This enables the boat deck 102 to be replaced with the handle member 140 to allow for easy carrying of the motor. This further engages the latches and keeps them from being abused in the case of motor roll in transport.

The preceding description is further developed through the proceeding process of use of the trolling motor mount assembly. First the component parts of the assembly are mounted. This includes fastening the boat deck 102 to the watercraft and fastening the motor mount 104 to the motor. Then the motor mount 104 to the motor. The motor mount 104 (and thereby the motor) is slid into the boat deck 102 (and thereby the boat) via the cooperatively dimensioned and tapered portions thereof. Once mated and engaged, the parts are then latched or locked together via locking latch assembly 106. The trolling motor can then be used on the attached boat. After use, the latch assembly 106 may be unlocked from the boat deck 102 and locked to the handle member for carrying of the motor.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom. Accordingly, while one or more particular embodiments of the disclosure have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A trolling motor mount assembly comprising: a boat mount having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a portion having a shape with tapered sides from said top surface to said bottom surface; a motor mount having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a portion having a shape with tapered sides from said top surface to said bottom surface; and wherein said shapes engage to form a taper lock arrangement.
 2. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said boat mount shape is inserted into said motor mount shape.
 3. The assembly as defined in claim 1 further including a latch assembly to lock said mounts in said arrangement.
 4. The assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said latch assembly includes a clamping portion on said motor mount and a flange portion on said boat mount.
 5. The assembly as defined in claim 1 further including a handle member for attaching to said motor mount.
 6. The assembly as defined in claim 4 further including a handle member for attaching to said motor mount.
 7. A method of mounting a trolling motor to a small watercraft, said method consisting of: securing a boat mount having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a portion having a shape with tapered sides from said top surface to said bottom surface to said watercraft; securing a motor mount having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a portion having a shape with tapered sides from said top surface to said bottom surface to said motor; and engaging said shapes to form a taper lock arrangement.
 8. The method as defined in claim 7 further consisting of locking said boat mount and said motor mount in said taper lock arrangement.
 9. The method as defined in claim 7 further consisting of disengaging said shapes and locking a handle member to said motor mount. 